A community study of periodontal attachment loss in smokers

This study compared per-sextant periodontal attachment levels of smokers and non-smokers attending private dental practices.

One thousand adults (51.5% female) aged 25 to 64 years underwent an oral clinical examination and questionnaire survey covering demographic characteristics, personal traits, coping and history of tobacco consumption. Medical history was also recorded.

Of the subjects, 9.0% had a healthy periodontal status, whereas 52.5%, 23.3%, 10.1% and 5.1% showed low, moderate, high and severe attachment loss, respectively. Most participants (86.0%) were never-smokers, and 1.1%, 3.9%, 3.5% and 5.5% were very light, light, moderate and heavy smokers, respectively. Corresponding full-mouth mean clinical attachment levels (CALs) were 2.0mm, 1.5mm, 1.4mm, 1.8mm and 2.9mm (p < 0.001, ANOVA). After adjustment for factors known to be associated with an increase in CAL, the mean per-sextant CAL in never-smokers was 2.0-2.1mm (p = 0.11); in heavy smokers, the mean CAL for the anterior sextants was significantly higher than that for the posterior sextants (3.2mm vs. 2.8mm; p = 0.04).

In Hong Kong, heavy smokers are more likely to experience attachment loss than are other smokers and never-smokers, and their anterior sextants are affected more than their posterior sextants.